Time Credits

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Spice has
been working with Chorley Council to introduce Time Credits. Time Credits are a
way of enabling local people to make a diff​erence in their communities and
local public services. The programme was launched in September 2012 in Chorley
with a broad health and social care focus and was extended to be used more
widely across the community in 2014.

Time
credits are a way of thanking people for the time that they give to their local
community. If a person gives 1 hour of time to a community organisation, they
earn 1 Time Credit that can be spent on a range of activities in the local area,
for example a children’s soft play centre.

As
well as recognising the value of individual contribution, Time Credits
strengthens and builds communities by engaging those who may not normally get
very involved in their local area. The scheme encourages people to be involved
in different ways and it helps to build local networks, by linking community
groups, organisations, businesses, and individuals.

Time
Credits are similar to bank notes but have no monetary value. They have a
standard back in all locality areas with the front localised. In Chorley there
is a picture of Astley Hall on the front of the note. The notes are designed
and printed to make imitation or fraud extremely difficult.

Individuals earning Time Credits are able to spend them across Spice’s national network of over 350 partners. This enables people to use Time Credits both in their local area or at any of the other area’s in the country such as London or Wales.

Time Credits can also be gifted to friends and family in your local area or in other parts of the UK for them to redeem locally. For example someone earning Time Credits in Lancashire can send them as a gift to friends living in London. They can also be used to thank someone for helping you, for example you may choose to give a time credit to a neighbour who has cut your grass or done some shopping for you.

You can find links to everything that is available including the Time Credits Facebook page on the right hand side of this page under Useful Links

Individuals earning Time Credits are able to spend them
locally or across Spice’s national network. Time Credits can also be gifted to
friends and family. For example someone earning Time Credits in Chorley can
send them as a gift to friends or family living in London. They can also be
used to thank someone for helping you. For example you may choose to give a
time credit to a neighbour who has cut your grass or done some shopping for
you.

If you’re an individual wanting to get involved and earn
Time Credits or to see which local businesses are involved, please see
www.timecredits.com or browse through the 2017-18 North West Time Credit
brochure. A link to the brochure is on
the right hand side of this page and under Useful Links. Titled “Places you can
spend Time Credits nationally”.

If you’re an individual or group of individuals who want
to start your own small group, running an activity, looking after your local
area or looking after some elderly neighbours, we’d be delighted to talk.
Please get in touch. Your local contact is Abi O’Brien: 01257 515151 or email: Timecredits@chorley.gov.uk

If you’re a group or organisation who wants to get
involved to offer your services to Time Credits members and be part of our
network please contact brianratcliffe@justaddspice.org or call 07474 678685.

You can also view and like the Lancashire Time Credits
Facebook page to stay up to date on what’s happening with Time Credits in
Lancashire.​

Apteligen Limited have published an independent evaluation of Spice Time Credits programmes. This report demonstrates that when we work together we can achieve meaningful change.

For Spice it was essential that our values were reflected in the way that we designed and developed our evaluation. The approach needed to give a voice to the individuals involved in the programmes and to support the ongoing learning process for Spice and its partners. This evaluation involved over 1000 community members, and nearly 300 partner staff who contributed their opinions through three surveys, in-depth interviews and 33 participatory workshops. Key Findings are that Time Credits are an effective way to engage people in giving their time to their communities in a sustainable way. In particular, people who are new to giving.

Time Credits also motivate people who are already giving their time to continue. Please go to the download section to see a summary of the results for Chorley Time Credits.